That minister said that high fuel price is affecting oil producing countries. Honestly, I have yet to decipher how that is possible. A fellow blogger commented that Malaysia, being a net exporter of oil, should benefit from increase in petrol price. Indeed… and how an increase of petrol price for a net oil exporter like our country be detrimental is quite beyond me. Perhaps someone may want to enlighten me on this point.

He also mentioned that our, i.e. Malaysia’s, oil reserves could last us for about 10 to 15 years. Hmmm… that is not what I heard though… perhaps someone can also enlighten me on this point.

Anyway, I think we should leave the oil issue out for a while. I think we should also stop talking about our tourist in space too.

Too much attention has been given to this space tourist so much so that we have actually missed out on a tragedy which took place lately. Did you all read about the ferry which sank while on its way to Tioman? Honestly, I didn’t know it until today and a quick look around the blogosphere showed that most bloggers are more interested in talking about the space tourist than anything else.

Were you aware of it?Yes, a ferry caught fire while on its way to Tioman and you know what? They found out that the ferry was operating without a licence. Lives were lost and some are still missing. Ya’ know, those people who call the United States as a land of possibility, they just have not been to Malaysia yet.

So we had non-road worthy buses driven by drug addicts caught a few months ago. Oh… you’ve forgotten all about that already haven’t you? By the way, I wonder if the buses on the road now are really ‘clean’ already. And now, we have unlicensed ferry in the sea. What is next? Broken airplanes flying around? Seriously, I won't be surprise. The Nuris are still flying, aren’t they?

At this point, I want to draw your attention to a testimony by a blogger whose girlfriend’s relative is one of the victims of the tragedy. I am again left speechless after reading that blog entry. What typical Malaysian way of doing things. If you don’t feel angry after reading it, you are probably inhuman.A fellow blogger commented in my previous entry saying that there is nothing we can do about it because we are so low here and the powers are so high up there. C’mon, let’s be honest with ourselves. Is there really nothing we can do? Or do we choose not to do anything about it?

Heard about it on Monday. What a tragedy... And another opportunity for the gahmen to spin story to distract us from the impending petrol price hike.

My hypothesis about the price hike is that they still want to maintain/increase their bottom line. So, when the petrol price increase, they take the opportunity to pass the cost (buck) to the consumers/tax payers.

we do have reserves for about 10 years, and are currently in joint exploration projects with Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam to look for more.

however, our own country's reserves are from the sea, which is more suitable to be refined into jetfuel, not petrol for cars.

which is why we import from saudi.

This was highlighted to me by a Petronas scholar and employee.

now, referring to the ferry issue...

it is sad that a blogger's girlfriend's relative is involved in such a tragedy. however, not being apathetic or anything, I feel for the ones who were thrown out of the bus in Taiping as well. And the bloggers in Johor during the flood.

Or even those involved in the 1993 Highland Towers collapse.

All of these incidents highlight one thing.

In Malaysia, it takes a tragedy to get the government to work, and it takes deaths before people take action against our lacking maintenance and "close one eye" culture.

I just blogged about that at my blog. And as usual, obligatory knee-jerk reactions after bad incidents happened. The Star 2nd page ‘Terengganu to enforce boat safety course’. Somebody’s life need to be sacrificed to get us back to the right course nowadays heh?

Shafie Apdal is a dumbass. Look at how his ministry tackle various consumer issues from cooking oil, teh tarik, flour and so on. He and his cryptic message. What he is trying to say when he said affecting oil producing countries? In a good way yes, so how to justify the oil price increase? I really don't mind if gov reduce the subsidy, increase the oil price as the market force it. But reimburse back the saving from the subsidy. If no saving, please don't go telling lies to justify the increase. But, what I tak puas hati is they always do things.. and then try to put out some justifications that sound dumb and irrelevant.

I'm with you man, is there really nothing we can do, or we choose not to do anything about it?

What is it so hard for every single state/district municipal to work hand in hand with the ministries to run all the necessary checkings including every single public transport and so on without having to witness more and more tragedies that doesnt seem to affect those in the admin/leading positions? Do people need to make reports to TV3 to gain attention on the flooding problems, potholes, and many2 more? Why cant they take immediate actions after receiving plenty of complaints only to witness yet more and more death? And how those penyelewengan kuasa causing more and more immigrants entering our shore?

I just read the link you provided, and I'm awfully disgusted! Shouldn't search and rescue teams be sent immediately? What's with waiting for the YB's? Unless of course they're gonna swim and do all the rescuing.

I also heard the news this morning, regarding our petrol prices... The whole thing is just ridiculous.... :(

dude.. do you really think we can make a difference by blogging? how different are (political) bloggers from the hippies in the 60s & 70s?? then, they felt by getting stoned, expressing their public outcry through music and 'peace' gatherings such as music festivals and drum circles could actually stop all kind of things - most notably the war in vietnam.... did it achieve that? perhaps to a certain extent... but it did cost the music world greats such as hendrix and joplin...

the problem here is... we are in a country that rather spend 102m to put a faggot monkey in space... instead of using good taxpayer's money to repair potholes or complete abandoned contrustion projects that are eyesores in KL itself...

lets face it... whats the point? not meaning to sound racist... but a certain article in our legislation (article whom must not be named) does govern the powers that be... and powers that be dont quite know how to control em powers.. is like instead of having a cabinet of Hiros... we have a cabinet of Sylars.... or morons if u like

Aput - thanks for the enlightenment, appreciate it. yes, all those things are tragedy... and this ferry incident, just like the rest, will be forgotten in due course... that's the way malaysian works. we need responsible ppl.. we need to have responsible ppl up there.

purple mushroom - very sad indeed. i really wonder how many vehicles of any kind out there are worthy to be operational.

rinnah - now you know... typical malaysian isnt it? yeah, those YBs... there were doing it just for their own rapport.

anon @ 1.06pm - couldnt agree more. if we complain and does not do the needed thing... all things will remain the same.

princess eileen - wow... looks like the tragedy is getting nearer and nearer to our lives... let us not take it lightly anymore.

anon @ 1.36pm - yeah, they will get away with it. probably catch some scape goat and that's it.

bongkersz - yeah... they will put some really dumb reason and justification and put in on the newspaper!!! and we are supposed to take it!!! fucking hell... yes, we need to do that small act which many think insignificant.

anon @ 2.28pm - thanks man... let us all do something. just vote... that's all we need to do.

Helen - yeah... and seriously... how many bus operators were arrested?

Maverick SM - well, i am feeling tired already. i am just going to cast my vote and get the hell out of here.. as simple as that really...

alan zed - do something about it then... dont be sad no more.

Manal - you're welcome... as for all those shit in this country... it's just not going to change. it will be interesting how it will turn out in the next election. one thing for sure...i am getting out of here. vote me for YB? i am not running for anything hehe... 100k... not thinking about it at the moment.

Terra Shield - in relation to petrol price... i dont mind the increase if the savings is used for good things. but is it?

Slacker - ruben my friend... blogging certainly wont make a difference. i am refering to casting of vote. if you dont want to vote... at least get yourself registered.

anyway, you're damn right... we life in a country who will do anything but the right thing. shitty indeed.

After reading Johnny's entry, i feel really disgusted too with those idiot YBs. I don't understand too why the heck the marine needs to wait for the YB to start their work. Don't they know the first priority in their job? Save life first. Really sad..

To those who thinks it is best not to do anything since:a) opposition has no proper manifestob) we know the devil operating now so it is better than the one we don't, andc) our 1 vote makes no difference

on behalf of BN, I thank you. seriously, because of people like you, BN is still in power. have a nice day.

Have read about the testimony and it totally pissed me off.. How could those people act like that? Isn't life is more important than some stupid donkey YB?

In this instance of matter of life and death also want to make headlines and get fame out of it? What a farking idiot!!! 'Ready to serve' by the police force? I think it's more of like 'Ready to polish some big ass donkey YB shoe' sounds better..

Of cause there is something which we all can do about this! It is whether we want to do it or not or maybe just could care less! No use just blog about this & complain until the pig cum home but no 'action' on ur part! Aiyah Ah zewt what is ur latest entries about?? Have to acess against through my home 'hor ny' computer! Have a nice week end!

I am aware of the ferry incident and the bus driver= drug addict incident too. Well, actually, have any of us realised that Malaysians are more of like the "take action only when things happen" type of people?

When the bus incident happens, they checked all the buses. Now after this ferry incident, they check the ferries. Well, what's next? Illegal taxi drivers appearing and when someone is dead due to car crash or something then only they'll check the taxi drivers? And I just took a glance of the entry you typed. LOL. BROKEN AIRPLANES.

Anyway, after doing that checking process right after the particular incident happens... From my perspective, I'm sure they'll stop doing it till the next incident happen.

Pfft, yeah, our beloved govt in a nutshell.

And about the increasing of price of petrol... Ha! All of them here could think about is just profit, profit. BIG BUCKS MAN. Money, money. Who would even bother about keeping the petrol to ourselves for future purposes?! All these while they've been exporting the FINEST oil out of the country. They want to get quick bucks but never thought of the consequences.

And well, as a result, we will be the ones suffering when the oil tank runs out and have no choice but to SHAMEFULLY buy oil from the countries we've once exported our oil to.

SWei - those checks they did to the buses... what are the final results. i honestly think a lot of ppl could have made a lot of money from there... and now, the whole damn thing is buried.

as for the ferry, it will just be kept warm for a while and before you know it, we malaysians will be enjoying the next 'current issue'. it if funny to laugh at 'broken airplanes', but if it really happens, we shouldnt be laughing. and if it happens to any of our friends, we might just not laugh at all...

as for oil... it is the heart and soul of this country really... if it runs out... regardless of when, we will be in serious trouble... we, being the rakyat.

the wife managed to put up a life jacket for herself & two of her children & off they jumped into the sea. there & then she still saw her husband nearby relying on a float but without any life jacket (insufficient for obvious reason).

but with a blink of eyes, her husband lost out of her sight & the body was found few days later. apparently the husband can't swim.

Because I actually like you (I think you are better than a lot of the silly "socio political bloggers") I shall take the time to explain how the fuel subsidy works.

Being a net exporter is actually irrelevant in many ways. In some countries where their National Oil Company is the one who runs the petrol stations, they can afford to charge the people at cost price or even subsidise the fuel significantly. I would argue that socialism is bad for business, but since it's the "people's oil" it is acceptable that they charge at cost price or a lost.

However, in Malaysia, we have loads of oil companies operating different petrol stations. Shell has the market share of about 35% while Petronas has about 32% (don't quote me on the exact figures). The rest of the market share is split out between BHP, Esso and Mobil (Projet now belongs to Shell).

Therein lies the problem. Foreign companies charge the market price. The government has to PAY them the difference between the market price and the set price of RM1.92. Which means that when the price of crude oil increases, the foreign oil companies will charge the government more and hence the government spends more just to keep the price at RM1.92.

Again, we can argue that subsidies are meant to 'help' the people. But that argument can only hold valid if the market was dominated by Petronas. But since 70% of the market share is taken up by foreign oil companies, surely it doesn't seem wise that all those subsidies are flowing out of the country into foreign hands instead of remaining within??

10-15 isn't exactly accurate. This is a case of a politician talking without exactly knowing his facts. I believe the latest figures stand at about 19 years. 10 years ago when I was in school, we were told there was enough oil for another 20 years only.

The 'discrepencies' in the figures are actually due to discovery of new wells and new technology which allows oil that was previously unextractable to be available. Also, rising crude oil prices have made many small wells which were previously not financially viable to extract very feasible now.